Germany, Japan Sought War's End, Documents Say

OTHER NEWS TO NOTE - The World

ROME — Newly declassified U.S. documents suggest that both Germany and Japan, using the auspices of the Vatican, tried to end World War II before they were forced to surrender unconditionally.

That secret U.S.-Japanese talks in Rome even took place would appear to be a major revelation, although a Vatican historian cast doubt that such a meeting ever took place. But the historian confirmed that contacts between the Vatican and Germany were made.

Germany surrendered unconditionally May 7, 1945, and Japan surrendered Aug. 14 after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The documents, faxed to The Associated Press on Friday, described meetings said to have taken place in February and March 1945, when it was clear Allied might would bring heavy destruction on the two countries.

The papers were obtained by the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles from the archives of the OSS, forerunner of the CIA. They were apparently prepared by OSS informers, and two were written in Italian.